Mike Leach situation simply a commentary on the times

Some would say I’m getting old. I prefer to say I have a seasoned perspective.

I was 10 years old before our family had a television. So I played outside. I was fourteen before we lived in a house with air conditioning, so I tolerate heat.

When I first learned to make a phone call, I picked up the instrument (which did not have even a rotary dial, if you know what that is) and told the operator what number I wished to call. Four digits, which you could ask for only if there was not already a conversation on the line.

And considering the alternatives, if my high school football coach had placed me or my teammates in a cool, dark room as punitive action -- given the alternatives -- we would have gone into a high-five frenzy. If we’d known what a “high-five” was.

So this is why, in my dated opinion, Adam James and his dad Craig are nothing more than crybabies who were not men enough to handle a contentious situation mano-a-mano.

But for them, it wasn’t enough simply to resolve their issues with now-former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach and move on. And daddy Craig, through his ESPN connection, had the perfect venue to ruin Leach’s career -- notwithstanding Leach’s issues with Tech administrators.

And here’s another aside. If you’ve read some of my stuff over the years, you’re well aware of my disdain for the new breed of people who reside under the too-broad blanket of “the media.” I resent being placed in the same category as many of them.

But among the many things I learned when I broke into this profession more than 40 years ago was that you never used your professional position for personal gain, for revenge as it were. You never, ever held your position over someone’s head. Never, ever say, “I work for the Daily Planet, and you’ll regret the day you crossed me.”

That is exactly what it appears to me the senior Crybaby James has done in conjunction with his position as ESPN commentator. But then he’s only a mouthpiece, a talking head, not to be confused with a working journalist. I can think off-hand of less than a handful of those who draw their checks from that organization who do so qualify.

And as a relic of another time, I have to laugh at the concept of what some today perceive to be inhumane treatment at the hands of coaches. On any given Monday after a loss on my junior high or high school teams, we went through a mini-version of The Junction Boys summer camp.

We called it “Black and Blue Monday,” which was apt description.

When I was still early in junior high, our high school head coach, who I later played for, once conducted belly-tackling drills at halftime of a game in which he felt his team was giving less than proper effort. And did so in full view behind the stadium scoreboard.

As I recall, no one whined. Players or parents.

These were the days when no one drank water just because he wanted to. I think we had two practice water breaks, during which we were advised merely to rinse and spit. And here I admit to being a cheater. One of my best friends was the head trainer, who used to keep a water-soaked towel in the hip pocket of his shorts, which was available for those who could sneak up behind him and bite into it hoping to squeeze out some moisture.

During practice scrimmage situations on those Black and Blue Mondays, those who weren’t in the action jogged around the practice field until called upon. Or endured the infamous “Oklahoma drill,” which we called Blood Alley. Some of you who played in the same era know what I'm talking about.

Again, no one whined to our mommies and daddies, or to the school principal. Sure, we complained and moaned among ourselves. But no one thought about trying to get our coach fired. We endured, and wore those bruises as a badge of courage.

How unenlightened we were.

-- Mike Jones

Comments

[Alma Clark]

I love it. I have felt the same way as I have watched this situation play out. Next thing we'll see is players filing lawsuit for having to do wind sprints or push ups as punishments.

[mark]

Wow, Mike. You really were tough, the party lines and the whole thing.
The good old days... risking cardiac arrest by going without water, giving a high school coach free reign to punish however he felt fit, parents didn't care. Yes sir.

You're a dumb ass.

[Steve McGaw]

It should be a sign to retire when your writing assumes the "Back in my day.." approach. What threadbare, time-wasting hogwash. One wonders if the writer carries the same two-fisted nostalgia for segregation, or men beating their wives with no consequences?

[Mike Rooney]

I think you were "right-on". If you want to play on the team, you follow the team rules and accept the punishment or discipline. Given the elder James" position, no one will ever convince me that he had no idea of Leach's methods. Maybe he knew and like the "balloon boy" dad, had decided to use his knowledge, and his kid, to exploit the media for his own benefit.

[Dave]

What an idiot! Football has been and is today one of the most dangerous situations a young person with a still-developing brain and skeletal system can participate in. Neanderthal coaches that Jones seems to worship are and have been a big part of the problem. Football is simply the modern equivalent of the Roman's "bread and circus", keep the masses sated and they will be happy.

[Trevor]

Yes because putting a pansy in a cooled room with an ice machine and a stationary bike is just like beating your wife and segregation. Have you ever heard a story of a single person of the last generation falling over from heat exhaustion or cardiac arrest? Maybe it is the shortcuts that are used in the form of supplements and steroids. If you can't look at this article as plain notice that people lack discipline, the desire to succeed AS A GROUP and not have to have the limelight at all times, then you, my friends, are the idiots.

[Becky]

It's okay for Mike L. to coach anyway he wants. He's a winner and that's all that matters isn't it. I hate all the power coaches have today. I'm glad to finally see a coach taken down.

[Paz]

What hogwash. I hate to think what kind of damage guys like you do to young people (boys, in particular) because of your attitude and the way you were raised.

[sh]

Lessee heah... 2010... 1988... OK, minus the eight, carry the one... Why, this po' li'l child is only... 21 years old.

Why, folks like mark and Paz are justified, Mike Jones, you're just a h8r wang-nut. (heh)

[Rick Essex]

Craig James strikes again to take down a football program (he destroyed SMU) only this time through his spoiled brat son.

[Billy Ray]

The James boys must really hate college football. Typical bigshot richkid Bubba Bob stunt. Now the James' can swagger around their country club, bragging about how influential they are.

Tech's former coach will find another team and kick some butt. James did help ruin SMU. What a jerk.

[Don Croft]

I think the two idiots Hance and Meyers need to be fired for this. Mike Leach only built the best program that Tech has ever had or will ever have. The two whining James boys were only an excuse for the two idiots to use to rid themselves of Leach.

[Glen Good]

Mike Leach was done wrong. I played in the heat, with a coach who taught us to be tough, young men. I remember running up downs for a hour because i missed a day at shcool, not practice. Kids have it to easy today, and the we wonder why they get in so much trouble. Mike will coach again and I will not watch Texas Tech again unless they are getting their ass whipped. Good honest coacehs are hard to find.

[exnfl20]

There had to be a better way for the James family to handle this.

The impact of this hurts the players, coaches and The University at large.

Nothing good comes out of this for anyone. I wish Coach Leach and the James family the best but hope a little self reflection occurs as well.

[mark]

"I played in the heat with a coach who taught us to be tough young men".
-Okay. What does that have to do with being punished for following doctor's orders to sit out with a concussion.

"Kids have it to (sp) easy today and we wonder why they get in so much trouble."
-You mean like the 18-21 year olds in Afghanistan? Or the ones trying to get a start in life in this economy? How did your generation have it so much harder?

"Good honest coaches are hard to find"
-Right... especially at Texas Tech.

[Will]

If James was a real man he would have told the coach he was crazy. Why sit in a closet to be abused. IDIOT

[mark]

"If James was a real man he would have told the coach he was crazy. Why sit in a closet to be abused? IDIOT"

-Maybe he wants to keep his scholarship. Maybe you're the IDIOT.

[pvb]

Hi Folks,
(tried to send this before but failed). I got several concussions playing at Cal in the 80's and have 2 sons playing high school ball now and so can answer the question of "How would you feel if it (being disciplined in a dark shed for being lazy) happened to your son?" - Just fine. Also, concussions were known to be bad news then. I can't imagine a coach treating them lightly then or now - despite what gets quoted in the newspapers.

On another note, I got to witness the beatdown Texas Tech put on Cal in the 2004 Holiday Bowl. I'll take the liberty of the rest of the Cal alums and say that while we may not be Texas Tech fans, we sure don't want to play you all again. I think a lot of us also feel that Texas Tech is losing a true gem of a coach and educator in Mike Leach.

Last comment, in 2004 I had a great time talking with the Texas Tech fans on the way over to San Diego. They were very happy about the Red Raiders' success - but very ambivalent about Mike Leach's personality. Obviously he's no Spike Dykes but, winning the ball games his team has I'd like to think personality would take a back seat. That same ambivalence came to mind when I saw Mike Leach was fired yesterday - which makes me ask you all: what the heck did Mike Leach do to piss off so many people in Lubbock?

[Rusty]

"How unenlightened we were."....and still are. Trying to shame a player into practicing with an injury (against a doctor's advice) is ridiculous. Hey, Mike...It's a game...only a game. I'm glad that coaches and programs like the one you mention are dying out.

[bhill]

10 years of Leach compared to 10 years before him.
Overall Conf. Overall Conf.
(2009) 8-4 5-3 (1999) 6-5 5-3
(2008) 11-2 7-1 (1998) 7-5 4-4
(2007) 9-4 4-4 (1997) 6-5 5-3
(2006) 8-5 4-4 (1996) 7-5 5-3
(2005) 9-3 5-2 (1995) 9-3 5-2
(2004) 8-4 5-3 (1994) 6-6 5-2
(2003) 8-5 4-4 (1993) 6-6 5-2
(2002) 9-5 5-3 (1992) 5-6 4-3
(2001) 7-5 4-4 (1991) 6-5 5-3
(2000) 7-6 3-5 (1990) 4-7 3-5
The major difference is Leach's bowl wins. So all is not doomed and Tech was not a bottom of the barrel program before Leach came as the conf. records indicates. It may have been time for a change if Tech really wants to compete on a national level and not just passing records were all the attention comes from and people mistake that for a national regarded team. After a season like 2008, Tech was not even pre-season ranked. So real Tech people and not those just looking for media attention it might have been a time for a change for the next 10 years with a new coach.